Stories

Amanda Blake turned heads and hearts for 19 years as Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke. Learn about her colorful life – and the real woman behind the sassy saloon owner!

Why didn’t Gunsmoke’s Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty ever marry? Or even kiss? Get the scoop from James Arness and others, on the great love that could never be.

Wagon Train’s “The Greenhorn Story”—Tribute to Western Pioneers By Dorothy Kosich The third-season Wagon Train episode “The Greenhorn Story” was prolific screenwriter Jean Holloway’s endearing tribute to the emigrant families who were part of the largest mass…

Fordian Touch Enhances Wagon Train’s “Colter Craven Story” By Dorothy Kosich The nation’s second highest-rated TV series Wagon Train in 1960 is partly based on Director John Ford’s film Wagon Master, featuring character actor Ward Bond as the Mormon…

An American Hero for the Ages People ask me how come you’ve been around so long. Well, it’s through playing the part of Mr. Average Joe American. – Gary Cooper With a face tailor-made for…

Western boomtowns during the 1800s gold rush that became haunted ghost towns: Garnet, Montana; St. Elmo, Colorado; Calico, California, Bodie, California, and more.

Glenn Ford: Hollywood’s Beloved Leading Man In a career that spanned 53 years, Glenn Ford was Hollywood’s sure-fire box-office draw. He was a man’s man, tough enough to star in classic Westerns and taut dramas…

Tom Selleck – Western Perfectionist By Henry C. Parke Looking back to 1990, when she flew halfway across the globe to co-star with Tom Selleck in the legendary Australian Western Quigley Down Under, Laura San Giacomo…

Bonded Westerns By Henry C. Parke Aside from his predecessor, Sherlock Holmes himself, there is no fictional character who is more quintessentially British than Ian Fleming’s master spy, James Bond. But the Western genre speaks to all…

INSP mourns the loss of a tried-and-true cowboy who saddled up and graced our screens in Western classics for over 60 years. On Monday, September 13, 2021, Hollywood and fans alike experienced a heavy heart…

What did John Wayne’s younger leading ladies say about him? Katharine Ross, Jennifer O’Neill and Ann-Margret talk about working with The Duke.

The Tom Selleck Story—his life and career. Magnum P.I to Blue Bloods, Jesse Stone, The Sacketts, Crossfire Trail and more. Outdoorsman, cowboy, Hollywood star.

Burt Reynolds: American Pop Culture Icon Burt Reynolds was an American icon: handsome, masculine, and magnetic. From appearances on TV series (most of all, Gunsmoke), everyone noticed when Burt came into the picture – and…

Fess Parker: America’s Frontier Hero The Early Years For over two decades, Fess Parker played sheriffs, soldiers, and spies… and was beloved by parents and children in the 1950s, 1960s, and beyond. Parker was born…

Maureen O'Hara lit up the big screen with her personality and red hair. Read about her life, rise to stardom, and friendship with John Wayne.

Jeff Chandler: From Brooklyn Boy to Hollywood Star Jeff Chandler always knew he wanted to be an actor and he worked hard to make his dream come true. From his celebrated role on the radio…

With his rugged appearance, calm demeanor, and distinctive voice, Sam Elliott has been a mainstay in television and film for over 50 years.

With a host like Sam Elliott, you may never want to leave. Moving from a big city like New York City to a small town in Wyoming isn’t easy. And for Paul (Hugh Grant) and…

Yes, James Arness was tall—very tall! Who or what would the Gunsmoke star tower over? Find out - James Arness is taller than...Read Now.

Four Fan-Favorite John Ford Films In his 50-year Hollywood career, John Ford directed more than 140 films, making the transition from silent movies to “talkies.” In his lifetime, he won six Academy Awards, a record-breaking…

Over the course of nine seasons, Chester Goode became a vital player in Dodge City. —but do you know why Chester really left Dodge City?

The Quiet Man (1952) American boxer, Sean Thornton, heads to Ireland to retire on his family land. But now he’s in a different kind of fight—sparring for the hand of a fiery redhead! Fun Fact…

Four Fan-Favorite John Ford Films In his 50-year Hollywood career, John Ford directed more than 140 films, making the transition from silent movies to “talkies.” In his lifetime, he won six Academy Awards, a record-breaking…

3 Godfathers (1948) While fleeing from a posse in the desert, three outlaws, Robert Marmaduke Hightower, Pete “Pedro” Fuerte and William Kearney, known as “The Abilene Kid,” discover a dying woman, who begs them to…

Two Rode Together (1961) Cynical Texas Marshal, Guthrie McCabe, takes a job to find several settlers who have been longtime captives of the Comanche. He’s making a hefty sum, but the job may be more…

John Ford: One of the Greatest Directors of All Time Many years ago, when Orson Welles was asked to name his top three directors, he replied: “John Ford, John Ford, and John Ford.” Reportedly, Orson…

The top moments that John Wayne lived by The Cowboy Code in his Western films.